Smoky Roasted Cauliflower & Lemon Tahini Sauce

If you're not already on the roasted cauliflower bandwagon, let me provide a recipe that will be sure to win you over.


Smoky, roasted cauliflower with those charred bits (the bites I always look for have the most char) drizzled over with a gorgeous, zingy lemon yogurt tahini (sesame seed paste) sauce, then accented with the crunch of salty chopped emerald pistachios and a sprinkling of fresh, herby parsley.  Love it.

I have loved all roasted vegetables for a very long time. If you're looking at a vegetable and wondering what to do with it, when in doubt roast it. Chances are it will be a hit.

I ALWAYS KEEP SMOKED PAPRIKA ON HAND. SUCH A FLAVOR ENHANCER.

Cauliflower is one of those vegetables that has definitely had a revival. I remember boiled cauliflower as a child. Not exciting. Sometimes my mom would make it in a creamy sauce with a little pepper on top. Now that was good, but on the whole I never cared much for cauliflower until the roasting method came to light. Game changing.

ALL TOSSED WITH FLAVORFUL SEASONINGS & READY FOR THE OVEN

I accent my cauliflower with smoked paprika, one of my favorite spices. I use smoked paprika frequently as it lends such a beautiful smoky essence to anything. A flavor bomb of an ingredient.

NIGELLA SEEDS - SECRET INGREDIENT. TOTALLY WORTH THE HUNT BUT NOT REQUIRED

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Nigella seeds – nigella seeds are new to me and I am absolutely loving them. They are the  seed of a flowering plant grown in Turkey & Syria and are often called black cumin seeds. They have their own unique flavor and delightful crunch.  You can substitute regular cumin seeds or just leave them out, but I love to try new things and these are now in my regular rotation.  I sprinkle them over eggs, guacamole or hummus and frequently add them to veggies as they're roasting like this cauliflower.

OUT OF THE OVEN & GORGEOUSLY CHARRED

You're going to want leftovers for my Smoky Cauliflower Quesadillas!!

Smoky Roasted Cauliflower with Lemon Tahini Sauce


1 head cauliflower
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon Chili flake (I love to use Aleppo chili flake for it's smoky, floral profile)
1 teaspoon nigella seeds (black cumin seeds) - optional
1/2 teaspoon course sea salt


Garnishes
Lemon Tahini Sauce
2 tablespoons crushed pistachios
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 425


Break cauliflower up into bite sized chunks and place on baking sheet.  I line my baking sheet with parchment paper just for easier clean up.  See my favorite parchment paper below.
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Drizzle over the olive oil then sprinkle over smoked paprika, chili flake and nigella seeds if using.  Dust with the salt.
Place in the preheated oven and bake at 425 degrees for about 25-30 minutes until charred and soft.

Serve drizzled with Lemon Tahini Sauce and sprinkled with crushed pistachios and parsley.


***You'll want to have sone leftovers for my Smoky Cauliflower Quesadillas.  Awesome!




Lemon Tahini Sauce
1/4 cup mayonnaise. (such as Primal Kitchen Olive Oil Mayo)
1/4 cup plan Greek yogurt (or dairy free coconut milk yogurt)
1 tablespoon tahini (ground sesame butter)
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon finely minced parsley


Whisk all ingredients together.  If too thick, add a bit of water to thin it out & get it to a drizzling consistency.